What's Your Problem Gunny?
by Molkite
Summary: Gibbs is being a bear and Tony can't help him open up, so resort to an unusual method. Warnings for established relationship, role play non sexual , language and spoilers for Mind Games.


**This could be set during the episode ****Mind Games, Season 4. Established Gibbs/Tony, OOC, AU and language warnings.**

Gibbs was angry. It wasn't that he never got angry, its just he never usually directed his anger at Tony. Tony was starting to become annoyed with Gibbs himself. Tony had done nothing wrong to warrant such anger either, if he had then he could understand. He had tried staying out of the way, but it seemed that was impossible. Gibbs always found a way to involve him somehow.

"Tony get in here!"

"What now?"

"You left this out on the side." Gibbs waved a mug in his direction.

"Yeah I left that out, I left it out like I do every other night. What's the problem with it being there tonight?"

"It makes the place look a mess that's what the problem is."

Tony snapped inside, he was sick of being constantly monitored, constantly having to wall on eggshells because of his mood. Ducky had warned him he would probably be a bear until the case was closed, but Tony refused to wait that long. He grabbed one of their dining chairs and stood behind it.

"Sit down Gunny."

"What did you-"

"I said sit Gunny do not dare disobey my orders."

Tony watched quite surprised as Gibbs calmly sat down without argument.

"Yes sir."

"Gunny you have been acting out now for the past few days, and I tire of this behaviour. Got me?"

Silence.

"I said do you understand me Marine?"

"Yes sir."

Tonys lip curled into a smile, he didn't expect Gibbs to cave so easily. He started to circle the chair, Gibbs sat to attention, ankles together, hands in fists on his knees, back straight. Tony felt nervous now, he hadn't thought Gibbs would rise to the bait.

"I want you to explain to me Gunny why you have been acting out, why you have been misdirecting you rage."

"I can't sir it's too personal."

"Too personal? Even for your fellow Marines? We live through what you live through every day."

By fellow marines, Tony hoped Gibbs understood he meant the rest of the NCIS team. He had never taken control of role playing in their relationship before, especially not those involving Marine terms.

"It's not the same sir, there are other things affecting me other than work related."

"Then you need to learn to express yourself in a more productive manner Gunny."

"You have no idea what's going on in my head Tony."

"Sit back down before I floor you gunny we're not done here."

Gibbs sat down straight away, Tony liked the power he was wielding over his lover, but also knew he shouldn't take it too far. He wanted to alleviate the pain Gibbs felt not magnify it. He had never been strict with Gibbs, not until now. Nothing he had tried previously had worked.

"Gunny you will end up putting your fellow Marines in danger if you continue like you have been. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Sir I have nothing to say."

"Aren't you even sorry for alienating everyone?"

"No sir. They don't understand what it's like sir."

Tonys mouth drew thin, he was upset with his lover, Gibbs was right he couldn't understand what was going on in his mind. But it didn't help that Gibbs shut him out.

"Sir, tell me what you want?"

"I want you to stop alienating people, stop treating them like they're the cause of your problems. Because most of them, they just wanna help."

"But they don't sir they just see weakness and take advantage, they don't want to help."

Tony felt anger surface and shoved the back of the chair. Still Gibbs faced forwards, hic back straight eyes focused dead ahead. He was a good marine, Tony just wished he could be a more open lover. The role play was working though, bit by bit he was getting to the bottom of what was wrong.

"Gunny they want to help, that's the point. You just alienate them which means they cannot trust you, not as a friend or as a Marine."

"I just can't do this anymore…"

Tony immediately fell out of character and was at Gibbs' side. He stroked his knee patiently waiting for him to speak. Gibbs' body language was now very withdrawn, his head was hung and his shoulders hunched. Tony wondered if he had gone too far.

"Jethro I'm here for you…"

"Tony I just don't know if I can do this… I have already caused one team member to die, I lost my family all those years ago… and now this case is haunting me again. I'm scared I'm going to lose you because of it."

"I'm not going anywhere Jethro."

Tony wrapped his arms round the older man and held him close. There were no tears, one of Gibbs' silent rules was that he would never let anyone see him cry. Although the memories of his lost loved ones haunted him, he needed to force himself to live in the present. Or as Ducky said, he might lose another lover. He had already lost one wife to that freak Boone.

"Tony, I'm sorry… Just help me nail this bastard? I can't lose anyone else…"

" We're going to get him mark my words… come on you look exhausted you need some rest."

For once Gibbs didn't protest. He let Tony lead him to their shared room, he allowed him to undress him and got into bed without protest. Tony slid between the sheets beside him and wrapped his arms round his love. Gibbs relished the skin on skin contact and finally relaxed into the touch. Ducky had reminded him that day, that he had already lost one person who had truly loved him to Boone. He refused to allow that to happen again. His anger, although misdirected, stemmed from his fear of losing Tony. He wasn't about to lose another lover to this murderous bastard.

"Tony I'm sorry I have been pushing you away these past few days… he's got to me deeper than I thought… This is all part of his plan to destroy me before his execution date."

"Shh, I understand… I love you Jethro, I'm not going anywhere."


End file.
